改變，是「存在」中顯著的現象。不過要意識到自己也是改變的一部份則需要一點時間。在此分享一些人生故事：在我居住的小村莊中有著巨大石油儲槽，其管線構造沿著山丘一路往港口方向延伸（英文稱之為gravity-feed，重力自流之意，便無需手動引流）。

當時我們村子是不列顛哥倫比亞省第三富裕的漁港，有著相當的捕獲及銷售量。六到十一月是本地的旺季。為了供應燃料給大型船隻，油管非常的巨大。身為小孩，我們要遵守的規則不多，但我必須在六點整準時吃晚餐，遲到的下場只有一個，就是接受懲罰。

有天我和兩個最好的朋友在油管跑上跑下不亦樂乎。我父母就跟其他人父母一樣，都警告過孩子這是危險動作，一個不小心可能會落入油管間的縫隙。不過他們不知道身體可以穿過那個寬度，是頭會卡住。我跑著跑著就掉到縫隙中，只有頭還卡著。我離地面很近卻踩不到，不久就陷入掙扎，在我快失去意識時，救星Robertson先生出現了。多虧了他我才活到今天。

三十五歲時我在私人企業上班，那個地區人煙稀少，交通多仰賴飛航。那是九一一事件發生之前的事了，大家抵達機場後將行李託運，若天候不佳則喝點威士忌壯膽便登機。年輕人總自覺刀槍不入。某天，我想是某個星期二，我和公司同仁要飛溫哥華島，我向他借了車要去離他家不遠的我父母家。那是陽光燦爛的夏天，天氣很暖和風光也美好。不知怎地我忽然覺得工作太多無法回家閒聊，便在電話跟父說：「抱歉！實在太忙了。」我父親說：『拜託！永遠都會有做不完的事。』不過在我的堅持之下他讓步了。隔天一早我母親打電話問我是否安好，我對這通電話有點不解。我跟她說我很好，怎麼了？原來那架回程的飛機墜毀，而我朋友和其他乘客無一倖免。我是怎樣和這場事故擦身而過的？我不清楚。人生無常吧。

我們必須告訴年輕人隨時準備好面對改變。但事實是矛盾的，許多家長根本不願意自己的孩子出去面對變化多端的社會─其形色、苦痛與成敗。如羅賓夏瑪與羅賓森爵士（Robin Sharma and Sir Ken Robinson）等學者都認為成熟與成長皆來自經驗。如果想追求幸福，就不能一輩子活在庇護下。該如何開始呢？就從自我的內心開始吧。你怎麼看待世界的？它的本質與動向又是什麼？這些當然都是難以回答的問題。誠如許多中國學者所言，生命是漸進的旅途，而不是場風光一時的馬拉松。它應該是場緩慢、溫和，卻能帶來啟發的旅程。偉大的心理學家兼精神科醫師榮格曾說：若不經歷痛苦就不會有意識。人們願意做任何事─不管多荒謬─以逃避自己的靈魂。人並不是藉由想像光的形象來達到開悟的，而是經由覺察清楚自己黑暗的層面來達到開悟的。

本週散心時，也想想你的人生目標吧。

每天試著尋找生活中神奇、美麗的事物。

 

Change is remarkable and a phenomenal part of existence. It does, however, take time to realize that we are a part of that change. Some stories of life: In my little village, there were enormous oil storage tanks whose pipeline infrastructure descended down a hill to the harbor (in English we use the expression “gravity-feed” which means that you did not need to manually force the oil or diesel to flow down from the slight elevation, it flowed naturally much like the water in a Roman aqueduct).

At the time, my village was the third wealthiest fishing port in British Columbia, relative to the amount of catch, or fish, landed (sold). The place was “alive” between the months of June and November. To fuel the huge fleet of fishing boats, the pipelines were enormous. As children, there were few strictures placed on us: mine being that dinner was at six o’clock sharp. Lateness was a physical punishment: simple.

This one particular day, I was playing with my two best friends who wanted to run up and down on the pipeline. My parents, as all parents do, had warned me that this could be dangerous, as the spaces between the pipes could entrap you. What they did not realize, unfortunately, is that they were wide enough to let your body slip through but not your head. I was running when I slipped and fell between the pipes. Only my skull was caught. I was tantalizing close to the ground but I could not reach it. I slowly began to strangle: just as I was about to lose consciousness, my guardian angel, Mr. Robertson, arrived. Thus my life has continued to this day.

When I was 35 years old I was in private business. Our part of Canada was devoid of people, so movement was facilitated through air travel. This was long before 9/11: you literally arrived at the airport, checked your luggage in, had a scotch if the weather was frightening and inclement and got on the plane. We were young, invincible and immortal. This one particular evening, a Tuesday I believe, I was to fly to the island (Vancouver Island) with a man who worked for our firm, borrow his car and visit my parents who lived close to his home. It was a brilliant summer’s day, very warm and the environment was perfect. John came to my office and said that it was time to leave. At the last moment, I made a “last-second” decision that I had too much work to do to “take the evening off” amicably chatting with my mother and father. “Sorry, I have too much to do!” “Come on,” was his riposte. “There will always be work to do.” But, I insisted and he gave way, I was the boss, after all. My mother phoned me early the next morning to check on my health. I was rather bemused by her questioning. I assured her that I was not only fine, but excellent. Why? The plane returning from the island had crashed and my friend, along with everyone else, was dead! Why had I missed the flight? To this day I do not know: life is fickle.

We are now telling our young charges that they must prepare for change. This unfortunately, is totally disingenuous. Many, many parents are total enablers and will not allow their children to experience the vagaries of life: its smells, its pains, its failures and its successes. Scholars such as Robin Sharma and Sir Ken Robinson all ascribe experience to maturity and effective growth development. You cannot remain “sheltered” if happiness is your objective in life. Where does one begin? I try to start in the “space” that is you. How do you see the world? What is it—where is it going? These, of course are questions that are unanswerable. As many Chinese scholars tell us, life is a journey of incremental steps—not a marathon that is to be won at a moment’s notice. It is but the slow and gentle journey that brings us enlightenment. The great psychiatrist and thinker, Carl Jung (1875-1961), leaves us with a thought: There is no coming to consciousness without pain. People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own soul. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.

This week, on your peaceful stroll, please contemplate your own life mission. You must make it exciting and adventurous.

Every day look for something magical and beautiful.